IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


^nadian  Institute  tor  Historical  Microreproductions  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 

1980 


Technical  Notes  /  Notes  techniques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Physical 
features  of  this  copy  which  may  alter  any  of  the 
images  in  the  reproduction  are  checked  below. 


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n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couvertures  de  couleur 


Cotou'-ed  maps/ 

Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Certains 
ddfauts  susceptibles  de  nuire  d  la  qualitd  de  la 
reproduction  sont  notds  ci-des&ous. 


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D 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 


Coloured  plates/ 
Planches  en  couleur 


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of 
fil 


T» 
cc 
or 

Tl 
fil 
in 


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Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d6color6es,  tachetdes  ou  piqudes 


Tight  binding  (may  cause  shadows  or 
distortion  along  interior  margin)/ 
Reliure  serr6  (peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou 
de  la  distortion  le  long  de  la  marge 
intdrieure) 


D 


0 


Show  through/ 
Transparence 


Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 


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in 

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□ 


Additional  comments/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires 


Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  bibliographiques 


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Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'cHutres  documents 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


D 
D 
D 


Pagination  incorrect/ 
Erreurs  de  pagination 


Pages  missing/ 
Des  pages  manquent 


Maps  missing/ 

Des  cartes  g6ographiques  manquent 


D 
D 


Plates  missing/ 

Des  planches  manquent 


Additional  comments/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  conditiori  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6x6  reproduites  avec  ie 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  de  I'exemplaire  filmd,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche  shall 
contain  the  symbol  —►(meaning  CONTINUED"), 
or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"),  whichever 
applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la  der- 
nidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  Ie  cas: 
Ie  symbole  —^-  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  Ie  symbole 
y  signifie  "FIN". 


The  oiiginal  copy  was  borrowed  from,  and 
filmed  with,  the  kind  consent  of  the  following 
institution: 

Library  of  the  Public 

Archives  of  Canada 

Maps  or  plates  too  large  to  be  entirely  included 
in  one  exposure  are  filmed  beginning  in  the 
upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to  right  and  top  to 
bottom,  as  many  frames  as  required.  The 
following  diagrams  illustrate  the  method: 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grSce  6  la 
g6n6rosit6  de  I'^tablissement  prdteur 
suivant  : 

La  bibliothdque  des  Archives 

publiques  du  Canada 

Les  cartes  ou  les  planches  trop  grandes  pour  §tre 
reproduites  en  un  seul  clich6  sont  fiimdes  d 
partir  de  Tangle  supdrieure  gauche,  de  gauche  6 
droite  et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  Ie  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Le  diagramme  suivant 
illustre  la  mdthode  : 


1  2  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

hr^ 


-^ 


3^ 


1146 


/■  ,,^-    \ 


filSING  OF  THE  LAND  AROUND  HUDSON  BAY. 


:-.-:t,u---^: 


BY 


ROBERT    BELL. 


FROM  THE  SMITHSONIAN  REPORT  FOR  1897,  PAGES  359-367. 


V        M 


-A 


'.^;.-..*#    •..«3., 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT    PRINTING    OFFICE. 
1898. 


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—    Ill« 


ItlSING  OF  THE  LAND  AIIOUND  HUDSON  BAV. 


BY 


KOBKRT    BKLL. 


VlUm  THK  S.MITilSONlAX  RKPOKT  FOR  1897,   I'AGIvS  359-1 


367. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT    PRIXTIXG    OFFICE. 
189  8. 


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KISIN(J  OF  TMK   LAM)  AKOIINI)  IIiriKSOX  IlAV 


\>y  KoTiKiM   Bell. 

Of  tliv  dioliiijicdl  Sii.-.'ri/  iif  I'dintiltl. 


Ill  tlio  I'roviiicps  of  Ontario  iiud  Qiiebe(!  it  lias  l>een  found  t'loni 
actual  levolin;>s  hy  (lilbcrl,  Sikmicit,  and  Upliani  tliat  tlio  o'd  shore 
lines  arc  not  ]»oriV'ct]y  hori/.oiital,  but  tliat  they  slope  ui)ward  in  a 
iiortlicastcrly  direction  at  rates  varying  in  dlH'erent  rejiions  from  a  ihw 
inches  to  a  foot  and  even  2  feet  per  mile.  If  tiiis  upward  slojjc  were 
continued  in  tlie  sanu'  direction  to  tlie  northeastern  extremity  of  Lab- 
rador, 1,3(10  miles  from  Lake  Huron,  tlie  inc-reasein  the  elevation  might 
there  amount  to  1, (»'•(>  or  L',(KM»  feet.  It  is  scarcely  probable  tliat  the 
dilferential  elevation  is  constant  and  regular  for  such  a  great  distance. 
Still,  it  is  a  fact  that  well-preserved  shore  lii.es  are  to  be  seen  at  great 
heights  in  the  northern  i)arts  of  Labrador.  In  my  (leological  Survey 
L'eport,  for  ISSl  I  have  nu'iitioiied  ancient  beaclu's  at  Naclivak,  140 
miles  south  of  Hudson  Strait,  wiiich  have  an  estimated  altitude  of 
1,0(10  feet  above  the  sea. 

The  two  sides  of  Iludsou'  liay  present  very  different  physical  char- 
acters. The  eastern  is  fornuul  mostly  uf  crystalline  rocks,  and,  as  a 
rule,  is  more  or  less  elevated,  with  a  broken  surface  sloping  some- 
what lapidly  westward  or  toward  the  bay;  while  the  western  side 
is  mostly  very  low  and  much  of  it  is  underlaid  by  nearly  horizontal 
Silurian  and  Devonian  strata.  These  low  shoies  are  accompanied  by 
shallow  water  extending  far  to  seaward.  The  head  of  -James  Hay, 
which  forms  the  southern  prolongation  of  Hudson  Bay,  is  extremely 
shallow,  but  the  vaiious  rivers  which  flow  into  it  have  cut  channels 
through  the  soft  shallows,  and  by  means  of  these  the  land  may  be 
appniached  with  seagoing  vessels.  The  whole  of  Hudson  Hay  may 
be  said  to  be  shallow  in  proportion  to  its  great  area,  as  the  soundings 
show  that  it  does  iu)t  average  more  than  70  fathoms  in  depth. 

The  shores  of  the  bay  everywhere  atford  abundant  evidence  that 
there  has  been  a  comparatively  rapid  rise  in  the  land  and  that  the  ele- 
vation is  still  going  on.  1  have  mentioned  numerous  proofs  of  this  in 
my  various  ollicial  reports  on  the  geology  of  these  regions  from  IST.'i 

'  l>iii(l  liefoiT  tilt'  fioolojiicsn  Society  of  Amciicii,  I'liihulelpliin.  Docomlici' 27,  IS'J."). 
Abstract  as  priiiteil  iu  Auieritau  Journal  of  Science,  Ibuitli  series,  Vol.  I,  March,  189G. 

35y 


^■ 


liliO 


HISIN(i    OF    TIIK    LAND    AKOUND    lilDSOX    I'.AV. 


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to  issii,  mid  1  sliall  MOW  recall  ,i  I'cw  ol' (liusc  and  yi\o  trcsli  oin'S  in 
addition,  soiiio  of  wliicli  caiiH'  to  my  Unowli  dj;i'  on  a  Jonrncy  to  tlio  i)ay 
diiriiifj  tli(>,  i)ast  snninicr.  Il  i><  well  Unown  to  those  w  lio  have  i)aid 
any  attention  to  the  siihjeet  iliat^  since  t  lie  estahlisIiMient  of  tlu^  posts  of 
the  Hudson  l«ay  ('onipany  in  the  mouths  of  tiie  iiv<'is  iiiound  the  hay, 
t\V(»  hundri'd  years  aj;(»,  thfre  h,".s  been  an  ever  inereasinf''  ditlicull;'  in 
reaehinfj  these  estaldishments  IVoin  tlu'-  sea. 

On  the  eastern  side  the  most  strikin;''  evidence  of  the  rising  of  the 
land  IS  allorded  hy  the  niinierons  well  presersed  and  conspicuous  ter- 
raees  cut  in  the  till  and  other  deposits.  Near  tlii'  sea  these  may  lie 
seen  at  various  heijjhts,  up  to  about  .■'><>(»  feet,  but  above  this  elevation 
the  seal  city  of  soft  material  out  of  which  tenaees  mij;ht  be  excavated 
renders  this  kind  of  evidence  less  iipi»areiit  than  it  inij;ht  otherwise  be 
at  iiijfher  levels. 

(Ml  this  side  of  the  bay  ouo  <d'  the  best  evidences  that  the  elevation 
of  the  land  is  still  jioiiii;-  on  is  funiislied  by  the  loiijjf  lines  of  diiflwood 
which  OIK!  sees  in  many  places  far  above  the  reach  (  'the  highest  tides. 

Tiie  old  beaches,  on  which  this  wood  is  jilainly  seen,  occur  at  various 
levels  up  to  about  .'!(»  feet  above  hiuh  tide,  but  the  remains  of  rotten 
wood  may  be  detected  in  some  localities  up  to  nearly  ."ill  leel.  above 
which  it  has  disap]»eared  from  the  ancient  shores  by  loiij;  e\])()sure  to 
the  weather.  This  driftwood  consists  piincipally  of  spruce,  but  a  little 
white  eedai'  and  other  kinds,  wliich  have  been  bronnht  down  by  the 
rivers,  ar.  also  mixed  with  it.  Tlie  bark  having  been  worn  oil'  by  the 
action  of  the  waves  while  the  trunks  were  still  fresh  has  temled  to  their 
])reservation.  Owinj;'  laincipally  to  the  salt  wafer  and  the  cold  climate, 
wood  endures  for  an  incredibly  loiii;  time  in  exposed  situations  in  this 
rej;ion  wherexcr  it  has  an  opportunity  (d"  dryiii;;'  (|iiickly  after  rain. 
Some  of  the  wood  which  may  still  be  seen  U]»on  the  hij^her  levels  may 
be  upward  of  si.v  hundred  years  old. 

It  hi'~'  !;ceii  su.uyested  that  all  this  driftwoix'  aloiu' hundreds  ot' miles 
of  coast  nniy  have  been  thrown  up  by  some  extraordinarily  lii<;h  tide. 
r>ut  there  are  many  reasons  why  this  is  <|uite  unlikely,  ll  stems 
imi)ossible  that  any  nu)derii  tid(!  c<iuld  rise  to  such  a  jjreat  lieiyht  and 
deposit  so  much  wood  at  dilVerent  levels  all  at  once  and  in  such  even 
lines,  followiiij;'  all  tiie  sinuosities  of  more  than  one  of  the  laised 
beaches.  'J'lie  siiiijiositious  extraordinary  tide  would  necessaiily  be 
of  brief  duiation,  and  would  be  accompanied  by  a  tremendous  jj;ale 
blowin,i;  up(Mi  the  coast.  This  would  have  the  etlect  of  throwing'  the 
wood  in  ('onfused  heaps  and  only  into  situations  favorable  for  catching 
it,  such  as  angles  of  the  shore.  But  instead  of  this  we  find  it  at  dill'er- 
ent  levels  laid  longitudinally  all  along,  as  if  accuninlated  by  slow 
degrees  with  moderate  winds  from  every  (piarter.  The  fact  that  the 
wood  is  freshest  along  the  lower  lines  and  becomes  i)rogressively  more 
decayed  as  we  ascend,  and  that  tinally  only  traces  remain  on  the 
liigher  levels,  shows  that  it  must  have  been  stranded  from  time  to  time 


UrsiNO    OF    TllK    lANU    AliOl'M)    liri)S(JN     I'.AY. 


;;(;i 


as  t lie  !iiii(l  wiis  risinn' iihdvc  (lie  scii.  iiixl  we  mo  lurccd  lo  iidopt  this 
obvious  view  of  tlic  ciisc. 

Ill  siipitort  nl'  till"  iiai'oxysiiiul  lidr  tiicoi y.  it  is  irlnlcd  tlml  once  diir- 
iii};  :i  iinrtlifiii  }iid(^  tlic  tide  was  (nrccd  as  lii;:li  as  tin-  iVoat  {•ate  in  tlio 
l»;dis;idcd  iiKdosarc  at  IJiipcit  lloast'.  iicjir  tlic  head  of  dana's  liay,  ai'd 
it  is  lidded  tiial  liiis  would  he  ('i|iii\  iilcnt  to  a  lioiiiiit  of  almut  .">()  feet. 
NN'iicii  at  It'iipci't  Iloiist'  last  sniiiincr,  I  could  hear  no  aiitlieiitic;  account 
ot'siKdi  an  cxtraoKlinary  rise  in  tlic  water,  and.  besides,  tlie  j^ate  referred 
to  did  not  appear  to  be  more  tliaii  l."i  feet  alxive  tlie  sea  lev«'I.  Hut 
even  if  siirii  a  ^I'eal  rise  in  the  water  had  oin  e  oecuircd  at  this  ])lace, 
it  winild  jJidNc  iinihiiij;'  in  rcj;ard  to  tiie  niised  beiiches  on  tlie  h)nj>' 
straiylit  shore  out  (Ml  tlie  open  sea.  Hudson  l'«ay  is  about  1,(1(10  miles 
lonji'  and  its  outline  is  funnel  shaped,  with  .lames  I5ay  represent iiij;  the 
contrnctcd  extreniily.  Kiipert  House  is  situated  near  the  end  of  this 
narrow  conlinuation,  so  that  Ju>t  here  we  should  e\itect  very  hififh 
water  with  aspriiiff  tide  and  northern  <iales  drivin.u'  the  sea  in  from  the 
broad  expanse  outside  and  iieapin.i;'  it  up  at  the  extremity  of  the  con- 
stantly narrowing;'  termination. 

Tlie  <ir;i\cl  terraces  seen  at  v.irioiis  elevations  around  the  coves  and 
upon  the  thousands  of  small  islands  aloiij;' the  east  coast  of  .lames  I'.ay 
are  reniaikably  sharp  and  well  preserved  and  almost  as  fresh  looUiiij;' 
as  if  the\  had  Iteeii  formed  but  yesterday,  'i'liey  are  jicnerally  bare  of 
trees  or  Inishes  and  the  yet  smooth  surface  pebides  ire  only  partially 
coveretl  l)y  li(diens.  Similar  terraces  maybe  seen  farther  iioitii  on  this 
coast  and  in  Hudson  Strait,  wherever  material  exists  out  ofwhicli  they 
may  be  formed.  On  Marlde  Island  the  raise;!  beaches  are  \ cry  ])lainly 
visible  on  account  of  the  whiteness  of  theiv  smooth  qinirtzite  shin<;ie. 

On  tlie  west  side  of  Hudson  Ihiy  the  IiihI  is  j;cncially  too  low  to 
admit  of  tiie  rehitivcdy  lii;;lier  sea  lextds  of  former  liniea  havinj;'  been 
recorded  in  the  sliajie  of  terraces  near  tiie  present  shore  line,  but  if  we 
f;i>  back  into  the  woods  wf  shall  lind  unii.istakable  evidence  of  the 
existence  ot'  smdi  hiiiher  levels  at  coni|taratively  recent  periods.  These 
consist  ol  l(Mi^',  low  ridji'cs  of  drifted  materials,  such  as  we  see  in  a 
fresher  state  at  tlie  present  lii<ihtide  mark.  They  are  made  ii|»  of 
driftwood  and  other  Aej;etable  did)ris  in  a  (!<mipletely  decayed  condi- 
tMMi,  covered  by  moss  and  Inniiiji' trees  and  shrubs  iiTowiii<;-  iiixui  tliem. 
In  some  places  we  may  still  trace  the  forms  of  the  larger  trunks  which 
had  been  cast  ashore  by  the  waves  at  lii;;h  tide.  I>etweeii  these  iidj;es 
and  the  present  shore  there  is  a  tlii(d{  j;rowtli  of  the  coniferous  forest 
and  the  firoiind  is  carpeted  with  moss,  over  wlii(di  the  tide  has  never 
passed.  Ivxamjiles  of  these  low  ridfjes  may  be  seen  near  the  head  of 
tide  water  at  the  mouth  of  Nelson  Kiver,  at  Attawapishkat  l{iver,  and 
in  places  between  the  latter  and  Albany  Ifiver. 

To  the  west  and  southwest  of  James  Hay  the  till,  covoriuff  the  nearly 
Hat  Silurian  and  Devonian  nx'ks,  is  <>-eneiaIly  oversjiread  by  stratified 
clays.     .Marine  shells  arc  found  in  these  up  to  an  elevation  of    KM)  to 


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."»((()  t'ci't,  l)iit  (til  the  castt'i'ii  sidr  of  the  hiiy  no  fossils  liavi'  yet  liccii 
(let('('t«'«l  iit  such  lii;;li  Icvt'ls,  owiiiy  pcrliiips  to  the  Hiiiircity  tht'ic  of 
marine  deposits  and  to  the  fact  thai  luit  litth'  search  has  yet  been  made 
for  them.  In  tlie  sandy  deposits  aiiionn'  the  hills  ahoiit  L'O  miles  south 
of  Cape  W'o'stenholine  I  saw  alamdain'c  of  Sa.iicdrd  nijiosu  and  Trlliiid 
(irinihnidird,  \vi!h  sniallei'  iiumltcis  (d'  a  few  other  siiecies,  at  heif^hts 
varying;  from  the  sea  level  up  to  aiM)Mt  -()()  feet;  and  last  summer  I 
found  l)i'ackish  water  varieties  of  a  numl»er  of  the  commoner  species  of 
oiir  northern  marine  sliells  up  to  T(»  feel  above  the  sea  in  the  clay  banks 
aloufj  the  lower  jxtrtion  of  the  Noddawai  b'iver. 

Around  the  head  of  dames  l!ay  and  up  its  western  side  the  encroach- 
ment of  the  (»utei'  lines  of  tlie  foiest  upon  the  wide  alluvial  Hats  which 
extend  all  alonj^'  these  shores  aiid  are  constantly  ludadcninj;'  lowaid 
the  sea  is  ^'ood  evidence  that  a  rising'  of  the  land  is  now  li'oiiiy  on.  The 
existiii};'  condition  in  this  pait  of  the  bay  is  well  described  by  Mr,  A.  P. 
Low  in  speaUinj;  (d'  A^^oomski  Island.  On  jtafi'e  -I.  .1.  (leol.  Survey 
lJe])()rt  for  l.SST,  he  says: 

"The  island  (dosely  rescnddes  the  adjoininf?  mainland  in  jihysical 
character,  beinj;'  veiy  low  and  swampy.  The  slioic  line  above  lii>ih- 
water  mark  is  nuide  up  of  muddy  Hats  covered  in  part  with  j^rasscsand 
sedges,  followed  farther  inland  by  thick  jirowtlis  of  small  wilhtws.  these 
in  turn  j;ivinji'  jdact^  to  small  Idack  spruce  ami  tanniiaidc  as  slightly 
higher  ;;round  is  reached.  The  line  of  these  trees  is  often  over  -  miles 
inland  from  liijj;h-water  mark,  itself  a  loiij;  distance  from  the  sea  at  low 
water." 

No  livinj;'  mo'.lusks  are  to  be  fourid  in  .lanns  I'.ay.  except  ]»erhaps  in 
the  northern  i)art.  owiuj;'  prol)ably  to  the  muddy  ami  brackish  nature 
of  the  water,  but  abundance  of  the  (U'ad  sludls  of  a  considerable  num- 
ber of  kinds  are  washed  out  of  the  clays  lbrnnn}>'  the  present  shores. 
Some  of  these  belonj;'  to  moderately  deei)\vater  species  and  are  well 
preserved,  retaininji'  tiie  epidermis.  This,  of  course,  sliows  a  recent 
elevation  of  tlie  sea  bottom. 

Kichinond  (Julf,  on  the  eastern  side,  is  separated  from  the  main  bay 
by  a  hij;h  bar  of  stratified  rocks,  which  strike  with  its  length  and  dip 
westward  or  toward  the  open  .sea.  This  bar  is  cut  through  by  several 
^aps,  all  veseinblin;;'  <tne  another,  exiicpt  in  their  heij^hts  above  the  sea, 
and  all  bearin<f  evidenc(^  of  their  havinjr  been  Mellworn  channels  of 
eomnmnication  at  more  or  less  remote  times  accordinj;'  to  the  j;;reater 
or  less  elevation  of  their  beds  above  the  sea.  Only  one  narrow  passajie 
now  remains  open  or  low  enough  to  admit  the  water,  but  two  others 
a^'e  as  yet  only  slightly  raised  above  the  tides. 

Some  of  the  aboiiyi-  I  geogi-aphical  names  around  the  head  of  James 
Bay  are  significant  of  considerable  (dianges  in  the  topography  since 
these  shores  became  inhabited  by  the  natives  who  still  occu])y  them. 
The  large  peninsula  between  Hannah  and  Hu])ert  bays  is  called 
Ministik-oo-watum,  which  means  wooded  islaml  with  a  cove  or  hole  in 
it,  uiinistik  being  the  Cree  for  a  wooded  island  and  watum  for  a  cove(w 


'  yc't  itt't'ii 
y  flii'iv  of 
l)eeii  iii:i(|(> 
liles  sou  til 
11(1  TrUiuii 
it  lu'ij,'lits 
suiiiiiKn'  I 

S|M'(!i('S  of 

'liiy  hanks 

eiicroiutli- 
atH  wliicli 
IK  toward 
;'oii.  Tlio 
Mr.  A.  P. 
»I.  Siirvoy 

I>liysica! 
ovc  lii^li- 
assos  and 
)\vs.  tlicso 
IS  slii^litly 
I'r  L'  jiiilcs 
^ca  at  low 

icrliaps  ill 
■;Ii  nature 
iI)lo  mini- 
it  sliores. 
^  arc  well 
a  rocciit 

main  bay 
li  and  dip 
ly  several 
(3  the  sea, 
annels  of 
e  greater 
r  passage 
vo  otliers 

of  James 
iliy  since 
l)y  them. 
is  called 
r  hoh'  in 
a  cove<w 


i{i8iN(i  or  Tin-:  r.AN'D  akoind  iirnsoN  ma  v. 


303 


hole.  The  heads  of  the  channels,  which  now  run  in  li(>hiiid  the  present 
peiiiiisnla  from  the  opjiosit*'  sides,  are  sei)arated  by  a  strip  of  low 
ground,  some  10  miles  long,  coveied  by  l)nsiies.  Midway  across  this 
strip  tli(^  elevation  is  estimated  to  be  about  l.i  feet  aliove  high  tide. 
The  most  luominent  point  on  tlie  coast  betweiMi  .Moose  l*'actory  and 
l''ort  Albany  is  now  called  "Cockispeniiy  "  by  the  whites,  but  thi)  Creo 
name  is  Ka-ka  ki-si|ipin  a  wayo  Minis,  or  Island  •  ' ere  the  Crow-duck 
(('ormorant)  lays  eggs.     Since  this  island  l»i'c;i  iini'cted  with  the 

niainlaiid,  bushes  iiave  taken  the  place  of  the  g  •  .sand  sedges  wliic.li 
lirst  grew  upon  the  low  giouiid  between  them,  and  the  former  are  con- 
stantly ac(piiriiig  a  stronger  growth.  Many  years  ago  the  winter  trail 
of  the  coast  i)assed  nv<  r  the  neck  of  this  peniusnia,  but  now  it  has 
become  necessary  to  go  outside  of  it,  because  the  biislies  have  grown  so 
large  that  they  catch  tlu^  snow  whicii,  in  such  situations,  remains  t(»o 
.soft  for  dog  teams  and  snow  slioers. 

The  salt  marshes  along  the  west  coast  of  .James  Uay  and  also  in  the 
viciiuty  of  Vi»rU  I-'actory,  which  used  to  attract  vast  numbers  of  wild 
gee.se  and  ducks,  have  been  gradually  drying  u]i,  much  t(t  the  incon- 
venience of  the  Hudson  May  CompanyV  people,  who  dei)ended  largely 
111)011  them  for  food. 

The  character  of  the  lower  portions  of  such  rivers  as  the  Moose, 
Albany,  and  .\ttawai»ishkat  shows  a  recession  of  the  .sea.  Tlii.s  is 
particularb'  observable  in  the  lower  .'!0  miles  of  tiie  .Moose,  where  very 
long  and  narrow  or  ril)boii-like  islands  run  parallel  to  one  another  for 
many  miles.  The  process  of  their  formation  appears  to  have  been  a 
constant  drawing  out  of  their  lower  extremities  as  the  ,sea  receded 
from  them.  Just  as  the  lowest  islands  of  rhe  i)resent  day  are  growing. 

()u  the  east  main  coast,  where  the  land  is  comparatively  high,  the 
grade  of  the  rivers  is  rapid  as  they  aiiproach  the  bay,  and  in  some  of 
them,  as  the  Nastapoka  and  the  Langlands,  there  are  perpendicular 
falls  of  about  1(H>  feet  almost  directly  into  the  sea.  This  condition 
indicates  recent  elevation. 

One  of  the  best  evidences  of  the  modern  rising  of  the  land  is  to  bo 
found  in  the  beach  dweiiiigs  of  the  Eskimo,  which  may  be  seen  at  all 
elevations  up  to  about  70  feet.  In  summer  these  people  generally  camp 
on  the  shore,  and  their  favorite  locations  are  at  the  mouths  of  sncdl 
streams  into  which  the  sea  trout  run  at  high  tide.  Here  they  construct 
weirs  of  stones,  whicli  impound  the  fish  when  the  tide  retires.  On  Outer 
Digges  Island,  F  have  tbiiiid  tiie.se  fish  traps  and  the  rings  of  stones 
and  other  struc...i'es  marking  their  old  camping  places  up  to  a  height 
estimated  at  70  feet. 

Among  the  historic  al  evidences  bearing  upon  this  (luestion  since  the 
advent  of  the  white  man  uiay  be  mentioned  the  fact  that  in  1(110  Henry 
Hudson,  the  navigator,  wintered  in  a  bay  full  of  islands  on  the  east 
coast  south  of  latitude  53°.  None  of  the  bays  in  this  region  would  now 
be  possible  for  this  purjiose,  showing  that  a  considerable  change  in  the 
level  of  the  sea  has  taken  place  in  less  than  three  hundred  years. 


f 


3(\\ 


KISINO    OK    Till':    ].AN1)    ARorXD    HUDSON    liAY. 


%\ 


t^'. 


^\ 


In  KiTl  Cliiulcs  liaylcy,  tlicii  lol'iil  j;ovrninr  for  t\w  lludsoii  Hay 
C()iiii»iiiiy.  siiili'd  tlii'(»ii<;li  in  a  sloop  Itctwet'ii  Agoomski  Island  and  tlni 
nniin  west  slioro  ol'  .lames  I'.ay.  It  would  now  he  imixissihle  to  ]y,\sH 
here  in  a  s('a,i;()iiijj:  vessel  of  any  kind.  In  ISSfi  I  found  it  dillieult  to 
j>et  tliroujili  in  haiU  canoes,  drawinj;'  only  a  few  inches  of  water.  The 
shoalinji'  is  not  due  to  a  siltiu};'  u]»,  since  the  almost  dry  hottojii  consists 
of  a  level  sui  tin  e  of  »ill  with  howlders  scattered  thickly  over  it. 

I'lom  1(!7.">  to  His,")  the  Hudson  Ihiy  Company's  estahlishinent  in  the. 
mouth  of  Moose  Kiver  was  upon  Hayes  Island,  whicli.  it  is  to  be  pro- 
snm<'d,  was  selected  for  convenience  of  landin;^'  goods  iVoiii  their  vessels 
a. id  sliip])in,!;'  out  their  returns.  'Phis  island  is  n(»w  nnajiproachable 
excejit  l»y  canoes  and  snnill  boats,  for  more  than  two  hundred  ye.'irs 
the  factory'  lias  stoi.d  upon  Moose  Island,  the  next  below  Hayes  Islijul, 
The  annual  shii»  from  luiji'land  anchors  in  the  channel  cut  thronj^h  the 
sands  otf  the  mouth  of  .Moose  Ifiver.  On  account  of  the  risk  of  I'onyh 
water  it  is  necessary  to  discharge  the  carjjo  by  schooners.  Withir  the 
memory  of  liviny  nu'ii  thes»^  schooners  could  ascend  to  a  wharf  built 
opposite  the  larjie  storehouse  of  tiie  factory.  I>nt  for  many  years  the 
same  schooners  have  been  nimble  to  asceiul  all  the  way,  ami  the  carg'o 
reipiires  to  be  transferred  into  scows,  which  complete  the  trip  to  the 
wharf:  and  the  distance  to  which  the  schooners  can  ascend  is  constantly 
diminishiii};'.  In  the  bejiinn;n,y  of  the  pre.sent  century  Prim-ess  Island, 
a  luirrow,  bushy  strip  imnu'diatdy  in  front  of  the  factory,  was  separated 
by  a  channel  with  a  ,i;()od  dci»th  of  water  at  the  lowest  tides.  Last 
autumn  I  saw  it  ipiite  dry  on  several  occasions  durin<i'  ebb  tide.  It  is 
well  known  to  everyone  who  iiaslived  at  this  ]K)st  in  llie  present  jieiun'- 
ation  that  every  now  ami  then  a  new  ••lump"  will  ap|)ear  in  the  bed  of 
the  river  and  become  i»ermanent,  urowiuji'  hi.i;lier  and  liigher,  event- 
ually escaping'  subirn'r^^ence  at  nu)st  tides  and  at  len,iith  becomin,n' 
covered  with  jjiass  and  then  with  bushes.  Sonu;  islands  which  were 
covered  only  with  bushes  I'orty  or  lifty  years  aj^o  now  support  a  fjfrowth 
of  youn^-  trees.  The  small  oiu'  on  the  west  side  of  Middlcboro,  below 
IMoose  Island,  is  an  example  of  this,  and  the  appearance  .»f  the  trees 
upon  it  is  within  the  memory  of  Mr.  IWoughton,  the  f'entleman  now  in 
charji'e  of  Moose  I'actory.  Middleton  Isliind.  between  the  mouths  of 
liui)ertand  Noddawai  rivers,  lies  close  to  the  east  shore  of  I{ui)ert  I>ay. 
Up  to  a  few  years  afio  canoes  and  boats  could  pass  at  hijuh  tide  through 
the  long,  narrow,  grassy  channel  behind  this  island,  but  last  autumn  I 
found  it  impossible  to  do  so  with  my  canoes,  and  we  were  obliged,  at 
great  inconvenience,  to  g(»  round  outside. 

Two  hundred  years  ago  the  ships  of  the  Hudson  I»ay  Company  ai>i>ear 
to  have  had  no  diHiculty  in  entering  the  mouths  of  various  rivers  on 
the  lOastmain  Coast,  which  can  not  now  be  used  iis  harbors.  Jn  old 
times  the  principal  ])ost  of  the  company  on  that  coast  was  in  the  mouth 
of  Kastnuiin  liiver,  which  bad  no  doubt  been  chosen  because  it  alil'orded 


a 

Ki 

ha 


(In 

toi 

sta 

th 

In 

be 

bi'i 

CO 


'  Factory,  a  resi'.ieiiei'  of  a  factor  or  agent. 


\. 


Hudson  Hay 
liiiKl  and  tli(^ 
.il)Ie  to  pass 
it  dillicult  to 
water.  The 
toni  consists 
er  il. 

linitMit  in  tilt; 

is  to  be  pro- 

tlioir  vessels 

pproiicliiiblc 

11(1  red  ye.'U's 

ayes  Islijid. 

tliroiiji;]!  the 

is);  of  roiiyli 

Witiiir  the 

wiiaif  built 

ly  years  the 

lid  tiie  eai',i;<) 

e  trip  to  the 

iseoustiintly 

icess  Island, 

as  sepiiriited 

tides.     Last 

)  tide.     It  is 

sent  jiener- 

tlie  bed  of 

her,  eveiit- 

be('oiiiin,i;' 

w  liieh  were 

t  a  jjrowth 

)oro,  below     I 

I'  the  trees 

nan  now  in 

Mioutiis  of 

ui)ert  l>ay. 

lethrougli     i 

autdinii  I 

obliged,  at 

any  ajipear 
livers  on 

I's.  J'l  old 
the  mouth 
it  all'orded 


IJISIXti    Ol'    T1[I'.    T-AXl)    aKOI'M)    Hl'DSON    HAY. 


3fi: 


a  good  harbor.  It  is  only  a  few  years  since  the  nioiitii  of  Little  Whale 
Kiver,  several  hundred  miles  farther  north,  had  to  be  abandoned  as  a 
harbor  on  account  of  the  increasing  shallowness  of  tiie  water. 

At  York  Factory  there  is  a  ■■.;hip  hole"  in  the  channel  of  Hayes 
Iviver,  directly  in  front  of  the  storehouse.  The  seagoing  vessels  of  light 
draft  employed  in  the  Hudson  liay  Coiiiiiany's  trade  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  anchor  in  this  hole,  and  Ibrnu'rly  they  remained  atloat  at  all 
stages  ot  the  tide,  but  of  late  years  vessels  drawing  even  less  than 
those  of  former  times  have  begun  to  "take  the  grouiitl"  at  low  water. 
In  objection  to  the  beliet  that  the  land  ks  lising  it  may  be  said  this  may 
be  <lue  to  a  silting  uj)  of  the  liole.  but  on  exiiiuining  the  material 
brought  up  on  the  llukes  nf  the  anchors  1  found  it  to  consist  of  light- 
colored  stilVbowldei'  clay  or  till. 

In  17.Sl»,  alter  the  I'^rencli  Admiral  Lciieyrouse  had  destiDyed  l''ort 
I'rince  ot'  Wales  at  the  mouth  of  Churchill  K'iver,  he  landed  with  (can- 
non on  the  southeast  side  of  Nelson  Ui\  er,  and,  hauling  them  across  the 
point  between  it  and  Hayes  liiver,  <ai)tured  Voik  I'act<My.  Two  ships 
belonging  to  the  Hudson  I>ay  <  'ompanv  which  were  then  lying  in  Hayes 
liiver,  laden  with  valuable  cargoes,  eseajied  under  cover  of  the  dark- 
ness of  the  following  night  and  got  safely  to  lOnglaud.  At  the  jjiescnt 
time  it  is  only  possible  for  a  seagoing  vessel  to  get  out  from  tiiis  ri\er 
at  the  t'.'])  of  high  watei  with  favorable  wind  and  careful  piloting  in 
daylight.  'l"o  say  nothing  of  the  dilliciilty  caused  by  the  darkness,  it 
is  unlikely  that  all  the  other  conditions  now  necessary  to  enable  a  ves- 
sel to  leave  the  river  ('onsjiired  to  aid  the  escajie  of  these  siiips.  It  is 
much  more  reasonable  to  believe  that  the  water  was  deeper  then  than 
it  is  now.  The  landing  of  Lepeyrouse  with  his  guns  on  the  shore  of 
Nelson  liiver  abreast  of  York  Factory  was  a  feat  the  like  of  which 
could  not  be  accomplished  at  the  present  day,  owing  to  the  extreme 
shallowiio~5s  of  the  water. 

The  present  Fort  (Jhiirchill.  or  '•  New  Fort,"  as  it  is  still  called,  was 
built  in  1782  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  about  \\  miles  above  I'oit 
Prince  of  Wahis,  as  soon  as  the  French  had  retired  after  destroying  the 
latter  establislnnent.  The  residents  now  sutl'er  much  inconvenience  on 
account  of  the  contiuued  shoaling  of  the  water,  and  they  have  been 
obliged  to  lengthen  out  their  ••  launch '"  (U' long  landing  trestle  from 
time  t»»  time  in  order  to  lie  able  to  reach  the  outer  end  of  it  with  their 
coast  boats. 

Off  the  western  side  of  the  lagoon,  within  the  mouth  of  (Minrehill 
Jiiver.  is  Sloops  Cove,  a  small  elliptical  jioud  connecting  with  the  lagooii 
by  a  very  narrow  entrance,  through  which  the  water  barely  passes  at 
high  tide.  On  the  arkose  rocks  beside  this  little  cove  many  inscrip- 
tions have  been  cut  and  some  ring  bolts  have  been  fastened  for  moor- 
ing vess(^la,  all  of  which  indicate  that  the  cove  was  used  for  wintering 
ships  in  old  times.  Indeed,  it  is  known  that  the  Fumave  and  the  />/.v- 
eonrii,  two  small  ships  commanded  by  Captain  ]Middlet(jn,  passed  the 


hi 


I 


\ 


^■1 


I- 


<)Im) 


KISINC    Ol'    Tin:    I.AN'M    AIJOUNI)    IH'HSON    IIAV. 


winter  ol'  1711-lL'  in  tliis  cdvc.  I  Imvc  exiiniiiiiMl  tlic  place  on  varhtus 
occasions  an<1  liave  copied  most  oC  tlie  slcctclics  anil  inscriptions  on  llie 
rocivs.  antl  it  al\va\s  appeared  to  nie  tlial  tlie  conditions  wliicJ!  we 
observe  indicale  a  rise  in  tlie  land  since  tlie  last  ship  wintered  there. 
At  the  i)resent  time  the  tide  does  not  rise  lii^h  enoiijih  to  allow  of  th(^ 
jiassafic  into  it  of  crafts  larjicr  tlian  ordinary  rowlioats.  No  ,sea.ii'oinjj; 
vessel  could  now  enter  if.  which  would  indicate  an  elevation  nearly 
e(pial  to  tlu'  di'aft  of  the  ships  formerly  fre(|Uentiiiji'  it.  It  would  he  a 
boon  to  the  aj;ents  ef  the  Hudson  liay  < 'ompany  at  Churchill  if  they 

could  now  winter  their  small  scl nei'  in  this  cove  instead  of  beinj^ 

obliged  to  send  her  every  autumn  to  winter  at  York  I'^ictoiy.  T!i<( 
cai)tain  who  commands  her  happens  to  be  tiie  person  now  in  chi'rineof 
the  comi)any's  jtost  at  ("hnichill,  and  both  he  and  his  crew  are  obliged 
to  walk  back  l.'iO  miles  tln'oi'.iih  tlie  mud  from  York  Fi-ctory  after  h-av 
inji'  their  vessel  there  in  tlie  autumn,  and  to  walk  the  same  distance 
again  to  bring  her  back  in  the  spring.  Mr.  .1.  I'.,  'ryriell  visited  Sloops 
Cove  in  the  autumn  of  IS!»,').  and  in  a  papi-r  published  in  the  lleological 
Magazine  for  August.  18!IJ.  says  he  thinks  the  land  is  here  in  u  state  of 
etpiilibrium.  Two  insciiptions  which  he  saw  on  the  locks.  namely, 
"May  I'o  and  May  I'T,  17.").'5."  were  about  7  feet  aliove  the  present  high 
tide,  and  he  thinks  these  were  cut  by  men  standing  on  the  ice.  TNis, 
however,  does  not  jtrove  much,  for  the  men  were  (piite  as  likely  to  have 
sat  as  stood  while  engraving  these  insrriiitions.  As  the  tide  still  enteis 
the  (!ove  and  keeps  it  full  of  water  the  average  relati\-e  level  of  its  ice 
to  the  rocks  siirrimnding  it  may  not  have  dilfercd  much  from  what  it  is 
now.  When  I  visited  Fort  Prince  of  Wales  in  l.s7',)  oak  jilaiiks  brought 
from  I'.ngland  while  the  fort  was  still  occupied,  as  well  as  timbeis  of 
native  wood,  all  charred  by  liCpeyrouse's  tire,  were  found  stranded  far 
out  of  reach  of  the  ju'esent  tides  and  still  in  perfect  preservation.  On 
the  ot'(;asion  ri'ferred  to  1  met  at  the  ••  New  Fort"  ciiildren  of  some  of 
the  peoiile  who  were  living  at  the  •■Old  Fort"  when  it  was  captured 
by  the  French,  and  from  them  some  information  could  be  obtained  as 
to  the  coiuV'tions  at  that  time.  NVe  have,  besides,  the  description  and 
illustrations  in  the  book  by  Samuel  Ilearne,  who  was  tlu'ii  in  charge  of 
the  iilace.  Any  light  which  these  accounts  may  throw  on  the  state  of 
matters  then  as  (u)inpared  with  the  present  time  iioinls  in  the  direction 
of  some  elevation  having  taken  jdace. 

Among  the  photographs  which  1  took  aroiimi  I'oit  IMince  of  \Yales 
in  1879  is  one  W'hi(;li  shows  strips  of  dry  land  grasses  alternating  with 
little  jiarallel  ridges  of  gravel  thrown  u])  by  the  waves  atid  now  abovt' 
the  highest  tide  mark,  but  below  the  level  t»f  the  sjiot  which  was 
pointed  out  to  me  as  the  landing  place  of  Lepeyrouse.  The  ground  on 
which  the  fort  stands  was  an  island  during  high  tide  at  the  time  the 
jilace  was  occupied,  and  a  bridge  was  thrown  a<'ross  the  narrowest  part 
of  the  little  separating  channel  to  connect  the  island  with  the  mainland. 
This  channel  is  now  entirely  dry. 


RISlNfl    OF    THE    LAND    AROl'ND    HUDSON    HAY. 


3(^7 


I'  DM  various 
itioiis  (III  tlio 
IS  wliich  wo  I 
itiMcd  tlierc. 
allow  ol'  the 
No  st'a,>;oiii<,' 
;ition  iK'ail.v 
t  would  1)»'  a 
cliill  if  thf.v 
Ciid  ni  bi'iii<i 
iictoiV.  Tli'i 
ill  chi'Viie  of 
•  an-  oblim'd 
•y  alter  It-av 
line  distaiifo 
isited  Sloops 

10  Gniloj-ical 
'  ill  it  state  ol' 
(•Us.  iiuiiu'ly, 
inesciit   liijrl' 

le  ice.     ''.'''is,    j 
liUcly  to  Irave 
lo  still  ciiti'is 
vci  of  its  ice    ' 
oiii  wliat  it  is 
auks  brou.ijlit 

IS    tillll)«MS    of 

stranded  far 
rvatioii.  On 
■en  of  some  of 
^vas  (  aptured 
e  obtained  as 

criplion  and 
ill  cliaijic  of 

11  the  stale  of 
tiie  direction 

lice  of  WaU'S 
eniatinji'  witli 
(1  now  above 
ft  which  was 
he  >;rouiid  on 
:  the  time  the 
irrowest  i>art 
the  mainland. 


If  aiiylhiii^-  further  were  want  inn'  to  show  liiat  an  elevation  of  tlie 
land  is  iKiw  f;-oiiig  (Ui  in  this  rej;ion  we  have  some  dire(  t  jiersoiial  evi- 
dence in  the  lifetime  of  the  witness  iiimself  in  sujiiioit  of  the  faet.s 
already  cited.  Ab(Mit  twenty  years  a,i;o  a  very  aj^'ed  Indian,  who  was 
said  to  have  ''seen  more  than  a  hundred  winters."  and  who  was  cjuietly 
passiiiffthe  last  years  of  his  extraordinarily  lonji;' life  at  Norway  House, 
told  me  in  i»reseiice  of  the  lactor.  Mr.  IJoderick  IJoss,  and  the  other 
yeiitlemeii  of  that  establishment  that  he  had,  when  a  boy.  witnessed 
the  laiidinj,'()f  Lepeyronse  and  the  destruction  of  l-'ort  Prince  of  Wales. 
He  f^ave  }^ia|iliic  details  of  every  ciieumstaiice.  which  ajjrecd  perfectly 
with  Lepeyrouse's  own  account,  and  lie  answered  all  my  (jiiestions  on 
other  points  entirely  satisfactorily  and  without  a  moment's  hesitation. 
Anion;;'  other  things,  he  mentioned  that  the  spot  wlieie  the  I'reiicli- 
men's  boats  landed  was  (piite  close  to  that  portion  of  the  western  wall 
which  they  iiiideiiiiined  and  blew  up  with  guiii»owder.  lie  said  that 
when  all  was  ready  they  laid  a  "rope"  ( train i  of  ^unjiowdi'r  across  the 
beach  and,  settiii};  lire  to  the  end  of  it,  ran  olV  to  a  safe  distance  to 
witness  the  elVeet.  It  is  now  a  cotisidi-rable  distance  from  this  spot  to 
the  nearest  jxtiut  of  water  at  liiyli  tide. 

The  i)r(H»fs  of  the  lisiii;;  of  the  land  around  Hudson  IJay  in  jiost- 
};laeial  times  would  be  admitted  by  any  ^^eologist,  and  the  (luestion  of 
the  continuance  of  the  movement  at  the  present  tinu^  is,  1  think, 
answered  in  the  allirmative  by  the  actual  general  shoaling'  of  the 
water  which  is  lioin^  on.  and  the  encroachment  of  the  land  on  all  sides, 
some  proofs  of  wliich  have  been  given  in  the  foref^oiiiff  paj^es.  All  the 
facts  which  have  been  iiieiitioned  (and  many  more  nii^lit  be  added) 
point  in  the  same  direction,  while  tliere  ajipears  to  be  no  evidence  of 
a  contrary  chars>cter.  The  ollieers  of  the  Hudson  Hay  Company  are  an 
intelligent  set  of  iiien,  and  their  uni\ei'sal  opinion,  based  upon  life- 
times of  observation,  is  that  the  land  all  around  tlie  bay  is  rising.  The 
following  is  part  of  a  letter  recently  received  from  Mr.  -losepli  For- 
tescue,  lately  a  chief  factor  in  the  Hudson  I>ay  Company,  in  answer  to 
my  re(|uest  for  his  opinion  on  this  subject: 

"  IJegardiiig  the  rising  of  the  shores  of  Hudson  Uay  I  have  no  doubt 
whatever.  When  1  was  at  York  Factory  1  heard  several  Indians  say 
that  the  sea  or  tidc^  had  retired  li  miles  from  places  they  remembered 
when  they  were  young,  and  my  own  observati(His  during  twenty  years 
there  would  lead  me  to  entertain  the  same  opinion.  When  I  revisited 
IMoose  I'actorv.  after  nearly  forty  years'  absence.  I  found  a  great  cliangi^ 
ill  the  appearance  of  the  coast  and  ri\('r.  Cliannels  which  were  iiavi 
gable  at  all  tinn-s  of  the  tide  formerly  could  now  only  be  used  at  high 
watei'.'" 


